Color mixing machine



1937- P. L; HEXTER coma MIXING MACHINE Filed April 28, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENT OR.

BY 64% L. HEXTE/PV l I l l I l l I l I l I Maw ATTORNEYS! 5 P. L. HEXTER ,702

coma mxme MACHINE Filed April 2a, 1936 s Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS Oct. 5, 1937., v P. L. HEXTER 2,094,702

COLOR MIXING MACHINE Filed April 28, 1956 s Sheets-Sheet s my is: I m l fl fi }'.,......;"W

IN VENTOR.

BY B44111. L. HEXTER ATTORNEYS Patented oces, 1 937 UNITED/STATES COLOR. MIXING MACHINE Paul L. Hexter, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to The Arco Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application April 28, 1936, Serial No. 76,765

a Claims. Cl. 226-100) This invention relates toliquid dispensing apparatus and, more particularly, to apparatus for dispensing paints of different colors for the purpose of making a paint having a desired color 5 or shade. i

In the paint trade it has been customary for a dealerto carry a stock of ready-mixed paint of each color and shade that he sold, and this has necessitated a relatively large capital outlay for the necessary inventory, and has also been objectionable, from the standpoint of the dealer, because of the factthat it is impossible to anticipate the demand for the difierent colors and, as

demand fora wide varietyof. colors and, for the I reasons above stated; it has been diificult for the 0 paint dealers to promptly supply paints of various colors and shades when demanded.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a simple novel device for paint dealers wherebythey can carry arelatively small 25 stock of certain standard colors and conveniently and quickly make uptherefrom a mixture of any particular shade or color that may be called for. This is accomplished by providing the dealer with apparatus embodying the invention hereinafter describedand claimed, and whereby paint of any desired color may be quickly and conveniently made up. g Y i In the drawings'which illustrate what I now consider to be thepreferred embodiment of my invention,

Fig. l is a front elevation .of an apparatus embodying my invention; v

,Fig. 2 is an'end elevation; Fig. 3 is a section through one of the individual containers forming apart of said apparatus;

In the drawings I0 indicates a frame which may be made of angle iron or other suitable structural material and which is provided near the top with a boss II in which a wheel I2 is rotatably supported about a horizontal axis. The wheel I2 may also be made of angle iron or other suitable structural material and is adapted to have a plurality of plates or supports I3 detachably secured thereto. On each of the supports or plates I 3 there is arranged a container I4 and the apparatus is preferably so designed that standard gallon paint cans may be used as such container. 5 The usual covers are removed from the containers I4 and plates I5 are substituted therefor, these plates being adapted tomake sealing engagement with the top peripheral edges of the containers I4, as shown in Fig. 3. Bolts I6 are'lO ranged on opposite sides of the containers I4 I and threaded into the supportsor plates I3 extend from the supports or plates I3 through the laterally projecting ears I! on the covers I5 and by means of wing nuts I8 on the bolts I l the covers I5 may be drawn ,down tight on thecontainers I4 and the latter securely clamped between the covers and thesupports or plates I3. The supports or plates I3 are secured to the rim of the wheel I2 by nuts I9 threaded onto the rear ends of the bolts I6 which project through the supports or plates I3 and through the wheel I2.

I Each of the cover plates I5 carries a rotatable stirrer 24 which has ,ashaft 25 extending through a'boss 2G in the cover andprovided at its outer 25 end with a transverse pin or key 21 with which a crank 28 is adapted to engagefor the purpose of rotating the stirrer. The cover I5 is also providedwith a discharge orifice 29 with which a blade or bar 30 is adapted to cooperate to con 30 trol the flow through the orifice. The bar 30 is pivoted at 3| and the cover has lugs 32 and 33 which act as stops for the bar 3|] in its fullyopen and fully closed positionrThe bar 30 thus acts as a gatevalve and .when the valve is closed 35 prevents the flow of liquid through the orifice 29. There is a vent opening in the plate I5 and this is normally closed by a plug 34.

In using the apparatus above described, the operator is supplied with a color card showing the various colors and shades that, he maybe called upon to make up. For convenience each of the containers may be given a number to identify the color of the paint which it contains,

and the operator is supplied with formulas for the compositionof each color. and shade that he may be called upon to make up. These formulas merelyspecify the quantity that is required of each of the various constituent colors and the latter may be identified by the number thereof,

as stated above. H i I a Let us assume that the desired color is madeup of varying amounts of the difierent colors in fourv of the containers I4. The contents of these four containers are thoroughly stirred by the use of the crank 28 which is preferably provided with a bayonet type connection so that it may be readily attached to the shaft of the stirrer of any of the containers. The wheel I2 is rotated to bring these four containers successively to the lower position, and a receptacle 35, such as an ordinary paint can, is placed on a table or support 36 beneath the containers |4 when in their lower position. When the first of these containers i4 is in the lower position the valve 30 associated therewith is opened and the prescribed amount of material allowed to flow into the receptacle. For the purpose of conveniently measuring the amount of material to be thus discharged into the receptacle, I have invented a gauge for accurately measuring the height of the surface of the liquid above the bottom of the receptacle, and this gauge forms the subject matter of my copending application Serial No. 43,201, filed October 2, 1935. However, any other suitable means may be used for measuring the desired quantity of material that is to be discharged into the receptacle. These operations are repeateduntil the amount of each of the various colors called for by the formula has been run into the receptacle, when a cover is placed on the receptacle and the contents thoroughly mixed to provide the necessary blending of the various colors,

A modified construction of the aforesaid device wherein the wheel which carries the containers is rotatable about a vertical axis is shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7. Referring to these figures, 40 indicates a frame which may be made of angle iron or other suitable structural material in which the wheel 4| which may also be made of angle iron or other suitable structural material is rotatably supported for rotation about a vertical axis. At convenient intervals about the rim of the wheel 4| a plurality of supports 42 are pivoted, each of which supports is provided with a plurality of lugs 43 to receive the rods 44. On each of the supports or plates 42 there is arranged a container 45 and, as previously stated in connection with the preferred embodiment, the apparatus is preferably so designed that standard gallon paint cans may be used as such containers. The usual covers are removed from the containers 45 and plates 46 are substituted therefor. These plates 46 are similar to the plates l previously referred to and are adapted to make sealing engagement with the top peripheral edges of the containers 45. Bolts 41 are arranged on opposite sides of the containers 45 and extend from the supports 42 through the laterally projecting ears 48 on the covers 46 and, by means of wing nuts 49 on the bolts 41, the covers 46 may be drawn down tight on the containers 45 and the latter securely clamped between the covers 46 and the supports 42. Normally the containers 45 are arranged in a substantially upright position, as shown, and to support them in this position the Wheel 4| is provided with radially projecting members 50 which are engaged by the lugs 5| on the plates 42.

Eachof the covers 46 carries a rotatable stirrer which has a shaft 52 extending through a boss in the cover and provided at its outer end with a transverse pin or key 53 with which a crank 54 is adapted to engage for the purpose of rotating the stirrer. The cover 46 is also provided with a discharge orifice with which a blade or bar 55 is adapted to cooperate to control the flow through the orifice. The bar 55 is pivoted at 56 and the cover has lugs 51 and 58 which act as stops for'the bar in its fully opened and fully closed position. The bar thus acts as a gate valve and when the valve is closed and the container returned to its upright position, all of the liquid in the orifice will drain back into the container and leave the orifice clear. There is a vent opening in the cover 46 and this is normally closed by a plug 59. In order to dispense the contents of any one of the containers 45, the container is swung down from its substantially upright position to the substantially horizontal position shown in broken line in Fig.7. The container is held in this horizontal position by the engagement of the support 42 with the outside rim of the wheel 4|.

The apparatus is used in a manner somewhat similar to that described with reference to the preferred embodiment. Let us assume that the desired color is made up of varying amounts of the different colors in four or five of the containers 45. These containers are successively rotated to a position directly above a. receptacle 60, such as an ordinary paint can placed on the table or support 6| resting upon a shelf 62 forming a part of the frame 40. The contents of the containers are first thoroughly stirred by the use of the crank 54, which may be readily attached to the shaft of the stirrer of any of the containers. The container 45 is then rotated or swung down from its substantially upright position to the substantially horizontal position. The valve 55 is then opened and the prescribed amount of material allowed to fiow into the receptacle. These operations are repeated until the amount of each of the various colors called for by the formula has been run into the receptacle, when a cover is placedon the receptacle and the contents thoroughly mixed to provide the necessary blending of the various colors.

In the foregoing specification I have used the word pain in the broad sense in which it includes such materials as varnishes, lacquers, and enamels, as well as ordinary paints, and, while I have illustrated and described what I now consider to be the preferred form of my invention, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in the details of construction without departingfrom the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a frame, a wheel rotatably mounted -on said frame, a plurality of containers pivotally mounted on said wheel, each of said containers having a cover secured thereto which is provided with a valve-controlled discharge orifice, and means for holding said containers in position to discharge the contents thereof through said orifices. I a

2. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a frame, a wheel rotatably supported by said frame, a plurality of supports pivotally mounted on said wheel, containers on said supports having open tops, covers tightly fitting the tops of said containers, means for clamping the containers in position between said supports and said covers, means for holding said containers in a horizontally upright position or in position to pour out the contents thereof, each of said covers having a valve-controlled discharge orifice, and said frame having means to support another container.

3. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a frame, a wheel rotatably supported by said frame, a plurality of supports pivotally mounted on said wheel, containers on said supports having open tops, covers tightly fitting the tops of said containers, means for clamping said containers in position between said supports and said covers, means for holding said containers in g a substantially upright position, orin position to a by said frame, a plate pivotally mounted on said wheel, a container on said plate, a cover plate for said container provided with a discharge orifice, means for detachably securing said cover plate to said plate with said container clamped therebetween, and said cover plate having a rotatable stirrer mounted thereon and projecting into said container, and a pivotally mounted bar on said plate for controlling the discharge through said orifice.

5. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a frame, a wheel rotatably supported on said frame, a plate pivotally mounted on said Wheel,'cooperating means on said plate and said wheel to hold said plate in difi'erent positions, an open top container on said plate, a cover in sealing engagement with the top of said container and provided with a discharge orifice, a plurality of bolts extending between said plate and said cover and adaptedto clamp the container in position, said cover having a rotatable stirrer thereon which extends into said container, and a pivotally mounted bar on the exterior of said cover for controlling the discharge through said orifice.

' PAUL L. HEXTER. 

